This invention relates to incubators for neonatology of the type known and used for intensive care of newborns afflicted by abnormally low weight or other defects due to premature birth, incomplete development, sickness, malformation and other pathological conditions of newborns.
In essence, incubators are aerated and heat-controlled (e.g. 38.degree. C..+-.0.5.degree. C.) chambers formed by a generally elongated rectangular bottom shell and a transparent top or cover casing normally provided with a number of circular ports connected with the open ends of rubber gloves or similar membrane-type closures providing for sterile handling of the baby.
Generally, the top casing of an incubator can be removed from the bottom shell, e.g. by pivoting, and the front wall of the casing is pivotable as well for removing or inserting the patient.
When the incubator chamber is in operating position, air or oxygen-enriched air heated to constant temperature is passed through the chamber to maintain the baby at optimum ambient conditions; humidification by evaporators, atomizers, etc. is conventional.
Prior art incubators suffer from a number of defects, however, notably as regards lack of uniform airflow; this causes an undesirable temperature distribution because the air that is circulated or passed through the chamber is also the medium that heats the chamber so that an inhomogeneous air distribution leads to non-uniform heat distribution.
At the same time, conventional air-guiding means in prior art incubators, such as vanes, perforated panels, and grids, are disadvantageous in view of sterility because they are difficult to clean and tend to promote accumulations of airborne infection sources; in addition, the air distribution means of conventional incubators tend to be bulky or complicated which, in turn, makes the incubators expensive, both as regards manufacture and maintenance.